DEPUTY GRAND MARSHAL
Matt Ryan,
A Department of Sanitation Supervisor, assigned to
the Derelict Vehicle Operation, with 24 years of
service was born and raised in Whitestone Queens.
Matt attended St Luke’s Roman Catholic School,
Thomas Edison High School, and Queens College.
Matt enlisted in the United States Navy in 1984 and
was discharged in 1987.While working as an auto
mechanic he was hired by the Department of
Sanitation in December of 1989.After an intensive 2
weeks of training on Randall’s Island he was assigned
to Queens West District 02 as a Sanitation worker
where he stayed for 10 years before being promoted to
Supervisor in October of 2000. He was then assigned
to Queens East District 11 as a field officer, then District 07 as a garage officer for
the Mechanical Brooms and Ez- Paks for 2 ½ years before landing in the Derelict
vehicle operation where he works today .
Matt is married to his wife Lynne, a Suffolk County Police officer and has 2 sons
Aidan (11) & Liam (9). Matt & Lynne Ryan are very active members of St Luke’s
parish in Whitestone. They are both Catechist’s in the school of religion and their
older son Aidan is an alter server. He is also a third degree Knight of Columbus with
the Monsignor Dillon Council at St Lukes.
Matt’s grandparents, George A Ryan & Nellie Ryan (nee Barry) immigrated to New
York in 1913 from the town of Tallow, county Waterford, Ireland. His grandfather
on his mother’s side, Edward R Conner’s, emigrated over in 1915 from the Town of
Tullaroan, county Kilkenny, Ireland. Once here, they set down roots in the Throggs
Neck section of the Bronx.
Matt’s parents Gerald and Helen moved to Whitestone Queens in 1950 and started
to put down roots of their own. Matt is the youngest of 7 children and comes from a
long line of civil servants. Both of his grandfather’s were in the FDNY, George A
Ryan rose through the rank’s to Battalion Chief of Training and Edward Conner
ascended to the position of Chief of department. Matt’s father, Gerald P Ryan, a
WWII veteran and a graduate of Fordham University, was a motorman in the IND
subway and an NYPD patrolman in the Bronx before being accepted into the Federal
bureau of Investigation where he served for 30 years. Matt’s brothers have also
worked for the United States Navy, NYPD & the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
His sisters have raised families while also serving the community as a local1105
Chief Steward for Verizon, a Teacher, and a registered nurse for over 30 years. In
his own word’s; I would say that the work ethic I have is all due to the example of
my family and my Irish heritage.
I saw a photo of my grandfather fixing the sidewalk in front of his home in
Throgg’s neck in 1933 and I asked my father why HE was doing it? his reply was,”
he would never ask someone to do something he wouldn’t do himself”.
Being able to be of service to the community of Rockaway during the most
devastating disaster I have ever seen was a very humbling experience. The task at
hand was insurmountable. My first day there I was working in my sector( Belle
Harbor) I was assisting the Sanitation Workers loading the truck, and a home owner
came up to me with tears in his eyes saying thank you over & over. I couldn’t stop
the tears from coming, it was that emotional. I told him he had to stop or these guys
won’t respect me anymore, and with this I saw the Sanitation worker by the truck
wiping the tears from his eyes too.
Towards the end of the shift 13-14 hours, I had to actually force 2 trucks to STOP
working, a first in my career with Sanitation.
I am very grateful for this honor and to represent all of my fellow Sanitation brothers
and sisters, the greatest department in the city…NY’S STRONGEST!